This invention relates to a forestation method and system for improving the global environment.
People are increasingly aware of the changes in the global weather pattern from that of the past. Pollution of the environment is worsen with the annual ever increasing demands for more crude oil and the creation of industrial acid fluid wastes. People in Canada and other parts of North America are warned to stay out of the mid day sun in the summer to avoid being harm by the high level of UV ray passing through the hole in the ozone layer. Economists have long warned that the world economy is on a deteriorating track; nonetheless, in combating poverty and in seeking for affluence or better health care, changes must be made to restrict the source of pollution. This is evident by the diminishing amount of forest world wide. Some effort has been spent in re-forestation in which seedlings are carried in bags by people climbing up a mountain side to plant them; however, it takes many years for a tree to grow to maturity from a seedling. A land that is not protected by trees is subject to soil erosion. The eroded soil eventually ends in rivers to cause water blockages which in turn cause flooding; and flooding causes yet more soil erosion and more blockages in the river. Often, in flood, water would bypass hydro dams to seek for faster routes to flow out to the sea or lake, and it carries with it the soil and invariably the soil protective plant and grass, thus the water source is depleted in an even more faster rate. Thus, flood occurs more frequently and more seriously world wide. Drought may follow after a flood, because the land after the flood would lose its water retaining property due to leaching by the flood water. The leached soil is not suitable for plant growth either by natural means or by manual planting; and rain water, if any, subsequently falling on such soil would simply run off quickly to result in that the water levels in the lakes and rivers are abnormally low during the drought, or are overflowing by the excessive amount of water flowing into them swiftly during the flood. River and stream are the result of the accumulation of droplets of water from rain. Modern engineering may provide advanced techniques but it often lacks diligence. It tends to solve a defect by correcting the defect per se rather than curing its cause. The present invention provides the combination of plastic bags with the soil and sand world wide for preventing the soil erosion due to wind or flood. It provides a method of creating a soft or flexible brick which eliminates the deficiencies in the common use of steel reinforcement, concrete, rock, clay brick, and fire baked brick for such purposes. With the stabilization of the soil and sand that are not affected by flood or drought, vegetation planting can be effectively carried out. The vegetation would, in turn, improve the soil; and it would flourish with roots growing deeper into the soil as well as providing richer foliage to shading the ground so as to improve further its water retaining property. Due to the differences in the amount of rainfall, ground and soil formation, and factors in the working environment, the following various methods are provided by the present invention to achieve these purposes:
(1) Device with dripping water supply: In a windy area, a tent-like protective plastic shield or housing is firmly anchored on the ground with sand piles. The housing creates a rain forest environment within it while providing the air required for growing a tree in such a protected environment. After the tree has grown to maturity and is capable of withstanding the severe environment outside of the housing, the tree would inherently break the latter. The grown tree would subsequently provide shading and protection to the sand and soil it grows on.
(2) For dry land in a semi-desert area, seeds and tree seedlings are grown in deep trenches provided with necessary lighting. Thus, they are not affected by the wind and the hot baking sun on the ground surface, and the vegetation grows and flourishes in the humid and still air environment deep in the trenches. This method also inherently resolves the common problem of the inability to achieve deep root growth of the seedling in a desert area.
(3) Another method is placing healthy tree stocks or seedlings in a bullet or bomb or bullet head for planting. A helicopter is used for carrying out such rapid planting even in areas inaccessible by land means such as up on steep mountains, and areas inhabited by ferocious animals or poisonous creatures. With the present invention of the century of the unique planting method, forestation may be carried out in any area throughout the world.
The deterioration of the global weather is largely due to the negative effect of the ever increasing demands for advanced living standard by human. The global greenhouse effect has now already caused a variety of natural disasters to occur. This is mainly due to the build up of large amount of carbon dioxide gas created in the atmosphere, which causes the adverse changes in the global weather. Trees to absorb the carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere. The present invention provides various forestation methods and systems which may be carried out to grow vegetation widely in any land.
1. The invention begins by studying and solving the most difficult problem in the forestation of the desert. The most difficult problem with the forestation of the desert is that there is no cohesion in the sand particles in the desert; for this reason, they are easily scattered by wind. Thus, it is difficult to cultivate vegetation in sand. An attempt has been made in the Middle East to spray a thin layer of crude oil on sand to increase its cohesion so as to facilitate vegetation cultivation; however, it has not been proven to be feasible. The present invention utilizes the abundant sand in the desert and vacuum filling it in bags formed by automation by continuously sealing two flexible plastic sheets together. The basic filling material includes a mixture of sand and soil, yellow soil, red soil, clay soil, and fine gravel etc. The basic material may be taken from the desert without requiring further effort in searching for any particular chemical ingredient, size, cohesion or retraction. It is not necessary to build a factory at the site or to use precious natural resources such as coal and mine in the process that may create pollution to the environment All that is necessary, is a farming cultivating machine or tractor for separating large size rocks from the finer sand and soil, a back hoe machine, and the formation of flexible plastic tubes or bags of various shapes and filling the bags with the sand mixture. The unique flexible bricks may be provided in various shapes and sizes depending on the functions required. For example, elongated flexible bricks of different sizes may be used for constructing barrier walls over a long distance in a desert. The flexible bricks may be fabricated in a continuous process on site with the fabricating machine driving behind the cultivator or tractor which disposes of unsuitable large size rocks along the path. The vacuum device on the fabricating machine extracts air from the flexible bricks while they are being formed so as to form a vacuum pack. The lifting device in the fabricating machine delivers the flexible bricks along the two sides of the path as well as piling them to a desired height to form barrier or retaining walls at the intended site. With the fabricating machine and the cultivator driving in such tandem manner, barrier walls such as wind barrier walls may be conveniently and quickly built anywhere in the desert. The method may also be used for installing dikes along a river such as the Yangsi River in China which is prone to flooding. The flexibility of the flexible brick of the present invention, facilitates flexible dikes to be built, which can migrate between the high tide and the low tide to maintain their flood prevention function. A barrier may also be built with such bricks across a river such as the Yellow River in China to form dams and lakes for saving water and separating the sediment from the water. No reinforcing steel or concrete foundation is required in building the walls and dikes with the present unique brick since it is desirable to have the flexibility characteristics. The brick is conducive for grass root growth and for use by farmers for growing vegetation, and it has the advantage that it may be installed freely and easily at any location, such as along the banks of a river or stream to prevent water erosion. Thus, the fabricating machine of the present invention may be used to build dams, flood dikes, islands in shallow beaches, or retaining walls along a sea shore. Leakage of sand and water from the bag is prevented by a plurality of xe2x80x9c/  xe2x80x9d shaped flaps located in a reverse flow control venting port in the plastic bag. The flexible brick may be used to grow in it various types of vegetation. The sand in the bag is capable of retaining an amount of water equal to 30% of its own volume within the bag, accordingly, it is beneficial for the vegetation growth in such bricks since the amount of water retained in the bag in one rainfall is equivalent to five times the amount of water retained by the same amount of sand outside of the bag.
2. Another important method is growing vegetation within a tent-like housing or shield having a water supply control. The housing or shield is made of a plastic sheet painted with a sun light and heat reflection external coating. A wind operated device is provided for supplying fresh air within the housing. The plastic housing has a predetermined height to protect the vegetation or tree seedling to grow safely to such height. Eight telescopic support rods are located around the base of the plastic housing and are inserted to a desired depth into the sand to anchor the housing securely on the sandy ground. A completely sealed housing is thus erected on the ground and it is weighed down safely by the weight of the sand located within it. In turn, the sand within the housing is protected by the latter. Thus, a green house is provided by the housing for growing the seedling in a tropical rain forest like environment to a healthy tree. In the meantime, grass may also be grown around the tree to hold the sand particles firmly together. A cutting blade is located at the top of the housing which would sever the housing when the tree has grown to such height particularly when it is also swayed by the outside wind. The bottom of the housing would also be eventually destroyed by the roots of the growing tree. An air inlet is provided for supplying fresh air into the otherwise completely sealed housing. A ventilation opening is provided to save any water content in the moisture within the housing for the plant growth. A unique sun light operated water pump is provided to extract water from the ground through a tubing to supply the water required for the growing tree. The sand within the housing retains an amount of water equal to 30% its volume. A water storage tank is mounted at the middle of the outer side wall of the housing for supplying additional water to the interior of the housing. Leaf shaped collectors are provided for collecting rain water to the water tank. To safe guard against water shortage in a severe dry condition, a plurality of water balloons are located in the sand within the housing around the seedling. Each water balloon is provided with an automatic cutting blade on its surface. The cutting blade is automatically operated by a retractable tissue material such as cow tendon which reduces its size or length as the humidity of its surrounding decreases. Thus, the water balloons will be severed under hot dry spells which may occur up to several months without rainfall in the desert. Water balloons with cutting blades having the retractable tissue material of various lengths are provided such that they will be severed at different times in order that water from the different balloons will be used to provide the required emergency water supply over a long period in the hot dry spell. A plurality of water containers are placed on the closed bottom cover of the housing. The water level in the water containers is controlled by a floating cantilever arm which is similar to that used in the water tank of a conventional flush toilet. A plurality of openings are formed on the sides of the water containers such that the water may flow out from these openings into the interior of the housing. Water is supplied to the water containers by tubes from the water storage tank and the flow rate of the water is controlled by the floating cantilever arm. A plurality of cutting devices are located at the bottom cover. These cutting devices will be pushed by the roots of the tree when it has grown to maturity in about 10 years to break the bottom cover of the housing when it will no longer be required. A large plastic cloth having a diameter much larger the base of the housing is placed on the ground outside of the housing at the bottom of a circular trench dug in the sand surrounding the base of the housing. The trench is for collecting water from any annual heavy rain may normally fall in the desert. The water collected will eventually seep into the ground to feed the tree. This method may be employed in the most severe desert condition for growing vegetation.
3. In a semi-desert region which has a more moderate weather condition and some vegetation has already been grown in it, vegetation may be grown moderate weather condition by using the flexible bricks for preventing the sand from being blown away by wind. The interior of the housing is directly open to the outside atmosphere. A plurality of /  -shaped reverse air flow control venting ports are provided to control the humidity of the interior of the cylindrical shape housing which has a lower portion located in a deep trench formed in the sand. The seedling grows in the trench covered by the housing. Optical fibers extending from the top part of the housing above the ground to the lower part are provided to conduct sun light to the latter for the growing seedling. Water supply and water collection are provided in the manner as described in the previous embodiment. Since the housing of this embodiment is open to the outside atmosphere, it is not necessary to seal the housing or to provide additional fresh air supply as in the previous embodiment. A cap is provided at the top of the housing. The cap is rotatable by the outside wind to prevent sand from being blown into the housing. The water pump may be operated by the heat of the sun light as in the previous embodiment, or alternatively by a windmill. Two UV ray reflecting lenses are provided in the tubular housing to lower the heat caused by the noon day sun light. These lenses are painted with light reflecting patterns.
The above embodiment is particularly suitable for growing young seedlings which can otherwise only grow close to the ground surface. With this method, the seedling may grow close to the sand surface inside the trench within the tubular housing, such that by the time it has grown to the height of the outside ground surface, it would have a height of about 3 feet. The tubular housing may be made from water-proof paper or thin metal plate. Such material will automatically break down and disintegrate in about 2 to 3 years after being used in the humid soil environment which normally exists at the depth of 3 feet under the ground in any desert area. The cap is made by rolling a plastic sheet with glue applied at its joint. The plastic and the glue would also break down over time to separate from the grown tree, and eventually the trench would be filled again by wind blown sand. Therefore, it is not necessary to spend further effect in re-filling the trench with sand. Moreover, since the matured tree is deep rooted when grown with the present method, it would not be easily uprooted by the strong wind in the desert.
4. The following method is applicable in a region having annual rainfall more than the semi-desert area mentioned in (3) above the tubular housing may be made with a cardboard material. A plurality of leaf shaped plates are mounted on the side of the housing for collecting rain water or dew for growing the seedling in the housing. A sand cap is provided at the top of the housing. A circular opening is formed at the top of the sand cap. The circular opening has an inwardly and downwardly folded lip slanting at 45 degrees; and a plurality of thin metal foils or plates are provided on the lip by adhesive. Wind blowing at the housing would cause the sand cap to cover the housing more tightly. Furthermore, due to their slanted position, the metal foils or plates would reflect sun light into the housing to supplement the light provided by the optical fiber. Several water balloons are also located in the sand within the housing. A plurality of wall openings are formed in the lower portion of the side wall of the tubular cardboard housing which is located below ground so that the ground moisture of the surrounding sand and soil may enter the housing through these wall openings. The planting of the seedling in the trench in this embodiment may be carried out automatically with a cultivating machine.
5. Bullet planting: In this embodiment, the small seeds of large trees are placed in an embryonic sack which is installed in the head of bullets,in which the bullet head is made of a mixture of hard wood powder, fiber, fertilizer, water base glue and plant base plastic compacted together under high pressure. The plant seeds are located in a depression or cavity formed in the rear end of the bullet head and it is covered with a mixture of fertilizer and heat refractory material. Planting may be carried out by firing such bullets from a helicopter having a telescopic view of the planting area shown on a display screen so that the bullets may be accurately fired at every square foot of the planting area. The seed may be attached to the bullet head with an optical fiber. Therefore, after a deep bullet hole is formed on the ground by the bullet, the seed would automatically be dragged into the bullet hole by the optical fiber. The impact of the bullet on the ground would cause a small amount of the spout promoting fluid to be released from the mixture to enhance the seed growth; also sun light required for the seed growth is provided by the deployed optical fiber conducting sun light into the bullet hole. In this manner, the seed would grow in a favorable humid condition in the hole deep under the ground without being affected by the strong wind and hot sun on the ground surface. This method is particularly applicable in a more temperate region in which sufficient rainfall would provide the necessary water for the seed growth. After firing, the bullet shells or cartridges may be retained in the helicopter for further use. Furthermore, this method may be utilized for planting in any area even if it is inaccessible by ground means or regardless if it is up in a steep maintain, inhabited by ferocious animals or poisonous creatures, or deep in a river valley. The success growth rate of this method is very high. Several designs of this embodiment are shown below. They function in the same principle but are adapted in various regions having different amounts of rainfall and different soil conditions.
A small amount of water required for the initial growth of the seed is contained within a separately sealed water balloon which is also packed in the bullet head. The water balloon will be broken by the impact when the bullet hits the ground to provide the water required by the seed initially. The water balloon, the seed and the optical fiber are located in a depression or cavity located at the rear end of the bullet head and are protected by a heat-proof cover plate. The cover plate will be removed between the time in which the bullet leaves the gun barrel and prior to it hitting the ground, so as to release the optical fiber. An annular steel brush ring is located at the muzzle of the gun barrel and it is engageable with a channel formed in the bullet head for removing the protective cover plate so as to release the optical fiber from the bullet head. Several other methods to achieve the same result will be shown below.
6. Tree planting ball: this embodiment enables planting to be carried out inexpensively and automatically. In a dry and hot region, seeds may be planted deeply in trenches in the land having the top layer of its soil initially removed so that the seed may grow in a moist condition deep in the soil. A cultivating machine equipped with a drill is used both for forming planting holes in the soil as well as placing sealed balls containing seeds or pre-dressed seedlings into the holes. Water balloons and plant nutrient fluid are also included inside the balls The seed is located in an embryonic sack located within each ball. One end of an elongated optical fiber is connected to this embryonic sack and the free end of the optical fiber extends outside of the ball to wind around a channel formed on the outside surface of the ball. When the ball rolls into the planting hole, the rolling motion would cause the optical fiber to unwind from the channel with its upper end held in place by a spring clamp such that the ball is hung within the planting hole by the unwound optical fiber which subsequently conducts the sun light from above ground to the seed in the embryonic sack. The lower end of the optical fiber is also connected to a knife which would sever the water balloon. The ball is similar to an egg for incubating the seed growth. Air is supplied to the interior of the ball through a top opening. The optical fiber also extends outside of the ball through this top opening. The upper and lower halves of the ball shell are made of a mixture of fertilizer and a water soluble substance or glue or gluten and plant fibers compacted together to form a thin half shell. After more than ten days, the upper half shell of the ball will disintegrate and separate from the lower half shell. Some of the water from the severed water balloons would remain in the lower half shell for the seed growth.